Oh Scrooge, Where Art Thou?
by Immortal Fallen Angel
Summary: It's Christmas time and Kaito's in the full Christmas cheer! However, there's always a Scrooge out at this time. Will Kaito be able to get Shinichi into the Christmas Spirit in time for the holidays? Or will Shinichi spend another Christmas alone? KaiShin
1. The Riddle

**Oh Scrooge, Where Art Thou?**

**A/N**: Woo! 8D I finally got this thing done! Took waaaay to long for my tastes x_x but what are you gonna do? xD I had this planned to be done for around Christmas time, but of course the original laptop I had this on crashed and I barely got what I had as it was Dx And winter break stuff took over and bleeeeh x.x Just couldn't get it done xD

This giant fluff ball was meant to be a one shot, but the whole thing turned out to be roughly 27 pages, so I felt I had to cut it down and post it as a two shot xD The second part will be up when I can get my lovely beta, Daisuke Kazamatsuri, to edit the second half :P She got most of it done, but I just kinda finished it now at… 2 am XD; and she's busy reading other stuff atm so I'm out of luck for getting it up till at least tomorrow probably :P

Anyways! :D Enjoy the KaiShinny goodness!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Detective Conan or any other things of the sort D: I only own the idea and what not.

**Chapter 1: The Riddle

* * *

**

_Early to bed, early to rise, and three quarters shy,_

_Ghosts are what you pass by,_

_Only when at the crest,_

_What you seek is abreast._

_Love, Kaitou Kid

* * *

_

"Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la la la la la! Tis the season to be jolly fa la la la la la la la la!" Kaito sang as he made his way into Edoka High. A giant box was in his hands and a bright red Santa hat on his head. Kaito walked down the halls of the school, a cheerful grin on his lips. The other students moved towards the walls as Kaito walked by, not sure what he was up to and not planning on finding out.

Soon Kaito made it to his class room, the box still in hand. Quickly looking around and noticed that all of the students were present and accounted for. Grinning widely, he also took note that everyone was so engrossed in what they were doing, they failed to notice that Kaito was standing in the door way.

Perfect.

Moments after Kaito reached the door way, the classroom filled to the brim with red and green smoke. Loud screams of surprise sounded out from the room, causing people passing by to look on curiously. The screams soon died down as realization crossed the minds of the students. Kaito had once again pulled a prank on the class.

Soon the clouds of smoke dissipated and Kaito's trick was revealed.

Just about everyone in the room was now wearing a green elf costume, pointed shoes and hats included, and giant paper snow flakes surrounded the room, with a miniature Christmas tree sitting on the teachers desk with blinking lights and small fake gifts under the tree. Stockings with everyone's names on them hung at each desk, small candy canes hanging over the edge of the stoking. A wreath was placed in the middle of the chalk board at the front of the class, fake snow covering it. A model of Santa and his eight reindeer (with Rudolph at the front of the other reindeer) was hanging from the ceiling, small bells on each of the reins of the reindeer jiggling every few moments. And as a small final touch, mistletoe was hanging in the doorway of the class, waiting for two unfortunate souls to walk under it and be forced to kiss.

Aoko stood in the middle of the room, a wide smile on her lips as she looked around at the Christmas decorations that suddenly filled up the room. Instead of being dressed up as an elf, Aoko was currently wearing a female version of Santa's outfit. The skirt was just low enough to cover everything, and the shirt was just low enough to tease whoever looked, but not reveal too much. Aoko continued to look around the room, the ball from her hat falling in front of her face. She blew it away, almost causing her hat to fall off completely. The inspector's daughter giggled merrily at the sight of all the decorations, and really, she wasn't the only one. Every person in the classroom looked around in awe, their eyes lighting up with a sparkle that only Christmas could bring. For once, no one suffered from Kaito's pranks.

Well…That was unless you counted Hakuba Saguru, that was.

Hakuba huffed as he sat as his desk, his face completely void of amusement. Instead of an elf costume, or even a Santa costume, Hakuba was currently wearing a Rudolph outfit.

And he did not appreciate it one bit.

"Aw! Hakuba-kun!" Aoko said, walking up to the blond's desk. "You actually look rather cute!" she poked Hakuba's bright red noise, causing it to start to blink. Hakuba's eyes twitched as he sat back, his antlers shifting ever so slightly with the movement.

"I should have known that idiot would cook something up like this." Hakuba said, looking around the room and trying to find Kaito. "He's been plotting something for weeks. It was rather obvious that he would do this." He said, pulling on his costume a bit. Aoko giggled once again, the smile still plastered on her face.

"Hey it could be worse! I like what he did! It's not humiliating in any way this time, Hakuba! So why not just get with the Christmas spirit and enjoy Kaito's merry mood." She asked with a wink. Hakuba sighed and shook his head, but couldn't help the small smile that adorned his lips.

"I do see your point, Aoko-kun." The half Brit started. "But really. Rudolph? Does that idiot have no shame?" the blond sighed once more. "Though, I feel I should be grateful. At least Kuroba-kun didn't force me to dress up as Scrooge."

"That's the spirit, Hakuba! I know someone who'd make a much better Scrooge anyways!" A voice said from the doorway. Hakuba and Aoko turned and looked at the doorway, confusion in their eyes. Aoko couldn't help the amused grin that crossed her lips, and Hakuba couldn't help but roll his eyes at the magician's antics. "Ho ho ho! Merrrrry Christmas!" Kaito shouted as he walked into the classroom, dawned in, naturally, a Santa suit, white beard included. Kaito had a massive grin on his lips as he sauntered into the room, making his way over to Aoko and Hakuba. "So, Rudolph-chan," Kaito said as he flicked the detectives antlers. "Shall you be leading my sleigh next week?" he asked, amusement flashing in his eyes. A smile filled with malice appeared on Hakuba's lips as he looked up at the grinning idiot, barely containing his anger.

"You shall pay for this, Kuroba-kun. No one makes a fool out of me." Hakuba said in warning. Somehow, Kaito's grin only grew.

"But my dear Haku-chan, doesn't Kaitou Kid make a fool out of you at every heist?" he asked. Hakuba stood up, about to ensue another argument between himself and the thief, before Aoko stepped in between them, laughing nervously as she stood in front of Kaito.

"Now now, Hakuba-kun." Aoko said, trying to dismiss his anger. "It's a time for joy, not anger. So behave." She said huffing as she turned to Kaito, her smile once more appearing on her lips. "By the way, I really do love what you did to the classroom, Kaito." She said to the magician. "You know I love Christmas!" she said, jumping slightly in excitement.

"And I love the outfit I came up for you, Aoko~" Kaito said, lifting up her short skirt enough to see under it. "Ah~ I see you even have Christmas panties~ That's a new one, Aoko~" Kaito said, quickly backing up away from Aoko, whose face was bright red with both anger and embarrassment.

"Kaitooooo!" Aoko said, beginning to advance on Kaito. Kaito was about to take off before he received a mop to the face, but Hakuba placed a hand on Aoko's shoulder, amusement all over his face.

"Now now Aoko-kun." Hakuba said, the amusement clear in his voice. "Weren't you just the one saying that this is a time for a joy and not anger?" He asked, looking at the shorter girl. Aoko blinked up at Hakuba and stared at him for a few moments before turning her glare back onto Kaito.

"That was then, this is now." She said, lunging for Kaito, who let out a noise of surprise and started running around the room, following after with her broom in hand. Hakuba let out a sigh and moved out of the way of the rampaging childhood friends, trying to avoid getting hit by that mop of all costs.

"Gee I wonder…" A voice from behind Hakuba said. Hakuba jumped and looked behind him, his body beginning to relax when he noticed that it was only Akako. "If you are not Kaito-kun's Scrooge, then who could it be?" The witch asked, titling her head to the side. It was then that Hakuba chose to look the girl over. He blinked a few times, noticing how she currently had what appeared to be blue skin, and a short blue dress that had icicles around the edges of the skirt and sleeves. The witch had a blue hat on as well, with a small snow flake at the top.

"What in the world are you supposed to be, Koizumi-kun?" Hakuba asked, raising an eyebrow curiously. Akako blinked herself and looked down at the outfit, as if just noticing that she was wearing anything at all. After a few moments, she looked up at Hakuba, a small smile pulling at her lips.

"I believe I am meant to be Jack Frost, Saguru-kun." She answered, resisting the urge to chuckle. Really now, this was a bit over the top. Hakuba nodded, as if understanding the implications behind why Kaito choose Akako to be Jack Frost and coughed into his hand.

"As for who Kuroba-kun's Scrooge might be, I have not even the slightest clue. I was expecting it to be me, quite honestly." Hakuba stated. "Who else is left to be Scrooge? I doubt that it would be Nakamori-keibu. If anything, Kuroba-kun would make him be Frosty the Snowman." At that, Akako's lips turned further into a smile. "And knowing Kaito, he needs to tease someone about being a Scrooge. I'm guessing you don't have an idea either, Koizumi-kun?" Hakuba asked, tilting his head to the side. Akako grinned before turning around and beginning to walk towards her seat, the bell for class ringing just then.

"I wonder who it may be…" She said mysteriously. Hakuba stared after her for a few moments before shrugging it off and heading towards his seat as well. By now, Kaito and Aoko had stopped fighting and were sitting in their seats, Aoko sending glares at a grinning Kaito every few moments.

As the teacher began class, trying to ignore his suddenly Christmasy classroom, Hakuba let his mind drift back to the question that Akako brought to his attention.

Who was Kaito's Scrooge?

* * *

"I refuse."

"Aw! Please! It's only for a little while! It would mean so much to me!"

"No. Christmas isn't my thing."

"But it isn't even a Christmas event! It's a small shop that's been decorated for Christmas!"

"That makes it so much better."

"Aw come on! I promised my friend I'd bring you with me!"

"The answer is still no. I'm busy this afternoon."

"Shinichi…"

The brunette tensed as he risked a glance at his childhood friend. Indeed, Ran was glaring daggers at him, her eyes narrowing the longer he went on being silent. Shinichi sighed and looked out the classroom window.

By now, the last bell signaling the end of the day rang, and the only people left were Shinichi and Ran. All day Ran had been talking about meeting a friend after school at this cute little shop in town, and she wanted Shinichi to come.

Shinichi outright refused her invitation, much to the girl's dismay.

It was a week before Christmas, which meant people would be everywhere, out shopping for gifts for the big day, and Shinichi would rather avoid big crowds if he could help it. Big crowds usually meant somehow, someway, someone was going to end up dead. And Shinichi needed his mind off of dead bodies while he tried to figure out Kid's latest note. After thinking about the note all night, as well as a good portion of the day, Shinichi still had no idea what Kaito was after, and where the heist was taking place.

Shinichi was forcibly pulled out of his inner musings as pain shot up from his ear. A startled cry escaped his lips as he was suddenly on his feet, being dragged out by his childhood friend. Shinichi flailed, grabbing his bag before it was out of reach.

"Itai! Matte! Ran!" Shinichi called out, tripping over his own two feet as Ran continued to drag him by his ear. "Alright alright! I'll come! Just let me go!" Ran only gripped his ear tighter and pulled harder. "Itai!"

"I'm not falling for that, Shinichi!" Ran huffed, dragging Shinichi out of the school. "As soon as I let go you'll take off and bury yourself in some stupid Holmes book! Now hurry up! We're already late!" Ran sped up, causing Shinichi to almost fall flat on his face.

"Gah! Ran! At least slow down a little! You're gonna pull my ear off!" The brunette continued to whine. Ran, once again, only proceeded to tug harder, the duo already a few blocks away from the small cafe Ran mentioned.

"You're overreacting." Ran said, no sympathy for the pain that she was causing. "We're almost there anyways. I'm sure your ear's fine." She smiled widely when they reached the small café, and walked straight into the building, finally letting go of Shinichi once they walked inside.

"Ran-chan!" someone shouted. Ran quickly surveyed the café and her eyes lit up when she saw who she was looking for.

"Aoko-chan!" She all but squealed as she ran up to a girl who Shinichi thought was eerily similar to his childhood friend. "Goman nasai! I would have been here sooner if this idiot," Ran said, smacking Shinichi upside the head, causing the boy to wince. "hadn't slowed me down!" Shinichi glared at his childhood friend as he rubbed the back of his head, still contemplating fleeing before Ran could do something else.

"It's fine, Ran-chan!" the other girl, Aoko, said, smiling as she waved the comment off. "Those two idiots haven't even shown up yet." Aoko sighed, her shoulders sagging in defeat. "I got tired of waiting for them to finish arguing, so I just left them behind, saying that if they didn't come I'd get the mop again." Ran laughed nervously, noticing how Aoko was smiling as she said this. "Oh! And is this your friend you were telling me about?" She asked, finally noticing Shinichi.

"Yup!" Ran nodded, patting Shinichi on the back slightly. "This is Kudo Shinichi! He's not a very festive person, though." Ran said, puffing out her cheeks. Aoko blinked, recognition crossing her features.

"_The_ Kudo Shinichi-kun?" She asked in disbelief. "The famous detective?" Shinichi just nodded and opened his mouth to comment, but was cut off as a loud squeal pierced the air, causing him to cringe. "You're always after that stupid thief! I'm sure you'll catch that nasty Kaitou Kid! Oh!" Aoko suddenly got way too close to Shinichi's face, way to fast. "Have you solved the riddle that that stupid thief sent out last night? Both Hakuba-kun as well as Kaito have no idea!" Shinichi just blinked, it taking his mind a few moments to process what the fast talking girl had just said.

"Sadly, I have not figured out what Kid is after, or where the heist will take place." Shinichi said, scowling. "I did figure out that it will take place at six o'clock, though." Aoko sighed, a look of pure defeat on her lips.

"That's all Hakuba-kun and Tou-san could get too…" She said. But her mood quickly changed again as she took Ran's hands. "Oh! Ran-chan! You remember my idiot friend I was telling you about? He actually did something amazing today! He decorated the whole classroom for Christmas! He even put everyone in Christmas costumes!" Aoko squealed in delight. It was at this moment that Shinichi took note of Aoko's outfit. She was in what appeared to be a female version of a Santa suit, but clearly more revealing.

"Is this the outfit that Kaito-kun gave you, Aoko-chan?" Ran asked, grinning from ear to ear as she looked over Aoko's outfit. Aoko simply grinned and twirled so that Shinichi and Ran could get the full 360 of what she was wearing.

"Just about everyone else was dressed up in elf costumes. Akako-chan was dressed as Jack Frost, and Kaito and Hakuba-kun were-"

"Santa Claus and Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer?" Shinichi asked, cutting off Aoko. Aoko blinked and looked in the direction that Shinichi was looking. A wide smile made a way onto her lips as she waved the two boys over to them.

"Hakuba-kun! Kaito!" She called, catching the two boy's attention. The two boys quickly made their way over to Aoko, Ran and Shinichi, ignoring the snickers from some people at Hakuba's outfit. "What took you so long?" She asked, once the boys had gotten close enough to hear.

"We would have been here sooner," Hakuba started, annoyance mixed with a bit of amusement in his tone. "but Kaito got stopped by little kids who wanted presents. And of course, the idiot just had to perform for them." Hakuba rolled his eyes, flat out ignoring the grinning magician.

"Aw Kaito! That was sweet of you!" Aoko said, smiling at Kaito. The Santa clad magician just shrugged his shoulders, grinning widely.

"What can I say? An excited audience of little children is the best kind of audience to have." The thief said. It was then that Kaito noticed that there was someone standing with Aoko. He blinked and tilted his head, walking up towards Shinichi. Shinichi himself blinked, going cross eyed when Kaito moved his face close to his own. For some reason Shinichi could not fathom, butterflies erupted into his stomach, and his heart picked up slightly in pace. Kaito blinked again before poking Shinichi in the face, causing the butterflies to die horrible deaths, and a glare to make its way onto Shinichi's face. "Hakuba...?" Kaito said slowly. "…Koizumi-kun didn't say anything about making a copy of me…did she?" Kaito asked, poking Shinichi's face a few more times. The thief heard a faint chuckle from behind him, but continued to poke Shinichi's face.

"Iie, Kuroba-kun." Hakuba said, an amused grin on his lips. "That would just so happen to be Kudo Shinichi-kun. You know, the famous detective." Realization crossed Kaito's features, his poking ceasing for a few moments.

"Well, you weren't kidding when you said he looked a lot like me, Hakuba-kun." Kaito said, going back to poking Shinichi. A vain burst on Shinichi's forehead and he quickly snatched Kaito's wrist, holding it in a death grip.

"Do you mind?" Shinichi said, the annoyance apparent in his tone. "You're giving me a headache." Kaito tilted his head to the side, giving Shinichi the impression that this boy was like a puppy.

"Want me to kiss it and make it all better?" Kaito asked, using his Poker Face to hide the smirk that wanted to crawl its way onto his lips. Shinichi's eyes widened, his cheeks burning a bright pink.

"N-nani?" The detective stuttered, causing a small grin to appear on Kaito's face. Both boys, however, completely missed the amused and knowing looks that their childhood friends sent them. "W-why the hell would I want that, baro?" Shinichi said, glaring at Kaito, his cheeks still burning.

"Because kisses make everything better~" Kaito said, puckering up his lips and leaning closer to Shinichi. The Detective of the East's cheeks turned a brighter pink, those damn butterflies coming back with a vengeance. Shinichi took a step back and kicked Kaito in the shins. "Itai!" Kaito shouted, jumping back and holding his shin. "You're a meanie, Shin-chan!" Kaito said, pointing accusingly at Shinichi. Upon hearing the nickname, Shinichi's cheeks darkened once more.

"D-don't call me that, baro!" Shinichi huffed and looked off to the side, avoiding looking at Kaito as much as he could. "You're being this annoying, and I don't even know your name!" Kaito's face lit up, having just about waited for this moment.

"Kuroba Kaito, at your service, Shin-chan!" Kaito bowed towards Shinichi, holding out his hand as a white rose appeared in his hands. Shinichi stared at the flower, something akin to horror on his face.

"B-baro! Do you realize what a white rose means?" Shinichi cried, his face the same color as Kaito's outfit. The thief looked up at Shinichi, that glint in his eyes stating that yes, Kaito was well aware that the color signified marriage.

"Stop bothering Shinichi-kun, BaKaito!" Aoko shouted, kicking Kaito to the floor. Kaito cried out, releasing the rose, causing it to fly into the air. The rose landed on top of Shinichi's head, causing the detective to blink and look up in an attempt to see the damn flower. Shinichi heard a chuckle from his side and the detective glanced at Ran, noticing that she was holding back snickers.

"Hold on, Shinichi." Ran said, moving closer to Shinichi. "I'll fix that flower for you." Shinichi sighed, letting his shoulders slouch as his blush finally began to die down.

"Arigatou, Ran." Shinichi said, sounding rather tired. Ran just nodded as she raised her hands up, grabbing the flower. Not a second later, Shinichi felt something wrapping gently around his ear. His shoulders quickly tensed as he looked at Ran with betrayal and shock. Ran grinned as she backed up, standing next to a giggling Aoko. Shinichi's hand raced to his ear, only for his suspicions to be confirmed. Ran had tied the white rose around his ear, causing it to stay attached to his head.

Traitor.

"That looks great, Ran-chan!" Aoko said, beaming as she clasped her hands with Ran's, looking straight at the highly annoyed Shinichi. Ran grinned and nodded, staring at her childhood friend as well.

"You didn't actually think I'd take it off did you, Shinichi?" Ran asked, giggling as the young detective glared at her.

"Ran, you're getting coal from me for Christmas." Shinichi deadpanned. Ran pouted before sticking her tongue out, and blowing raspberries at the annoyed detective.

"I think you look adorable, Shin-chan!" Kaito said, appearing behind Shinichi, his arms wrapping around his shoulders. Shinichi's face flushed, but he made no move to shove Kaito off of him.

"Baro! I-I'm not cute!" Shinichi said, looking away from Kaito. The thief simply 'hmm'ed, before moving his hands to around Shinichi's waist, letting his chin rest on the detective's shoulder. Shinichi tensed slightly and made a move to smack Kaito's hands away, but Aoko's next comment stopped him dead in his tracks.

"I think it is rather fitting for him don't you, Ran-chan? Hakuba-kun?" Aoko said. Ran only giggled and nodded in response, while Hakuba only blinked and looked at the girls curiously. "Oh oh! Ran-chan!" Aoko said, turning her attention fully onto her look-a-like. "Let's go shopping! I need to pick up a few more gifts anyways!" Ran thought for a few moments before grinning and nodding.

"Great idea! I need to pick up something for Tou-san anyways!" she replied. Aoko smiled widely before snatching Hakuba by the wrist, totally catching the detective by surprise.

"Let's go then! Come on, Hakuba! You can help us little ladies carry the bags!" Aoko said merrily, beginning to make her way out of the small café with her two companions. "Ja ne, Kaito!" She called over her shoulder. "Behave yourself, you hear me!" Kaito only chuckled and waved bye to Aoko, not saying anything back.

"Ja ne, Shinichi!" Ran called, walking backwards as she waved to her childhood friend. "You should stay and hang out with Kaito-kun! If I hear anything about you heading home you'll be in trouble!" she said menacingly before walking out the door.

"A-Aoko-kun!" Hakuba complained as the younger girl continued to drag him outside. "Why must I go, and Kuroba-kun stays behind with Kudo-kun? I fear that idiot shall do something dreadful to the poor boy…" Aoko giggled as she stopped, letting go of the blonde's wrist. A knowing smile appeared on her lips as Ran stood next to her, her facial expression mirroring her friend's. "Um… Did I miss something?"

"You know…" Aoko said, moving her hand to her lips to attempt to stifle some giggles. "For a detective, you're not very observant." Hakuba scowled and opened his mouth to retort, but Aoko beat him to the punch. "I mean really. How could you not notice what was going on?" Hakuba closed his mouth, and opened it a few times, looking at Aoko in bewilderment.

"...What did I miss exactly?" he asked slowly. The girl's rolled their eyes simultaneously at him, shaking their heads as they did so.

"How Shinichi and Kaito-kun were acting around each other, obviously." Ran piped up, her eyes lighting up at the thought of the two boy's together. "Did you see how they were acting around each other?" the blond tilted his head to the side, confusion still on his face.

"They were acting normally, as far as I could tell. Kuroba-kun was flirty, as per usual, and Kudo-kun was his usual self as well." Hakuba reasoned. "They were not acting differently at all." Once more, the girl's rolled their eyes.

"Yes, Kaito was flittering with Shinichi-kun," Aoko offered. "But he was a lot more flirty than normal. And he was all over Shinichi-kun! He's not usually like that, Hakuba-kun!"

"And Shinichi stuttered a few times, and was completely flustered! He's almost always so calm and composed!" Ran informed, a glint appearing in her eyes as she turned towards Aoko, instead of facing Hakuba. "Oh! I'm so happy with this idea! I think it's already working! What do you think, Aoko-chan?" Ran asked. Aoko bite her lip to keep herself from squealing, happiness and excitement radiating off of her.

"I think this plan is going perfectly! I haven't seen Kaito like this with someone since Hakuba-kun came to Ekoda!" Aoko said, taking Ran's hands in hers. Both girls squealed a little, jumping up and down. Hakuba blinked as he stared at the scene, trying to process the information that he was just given.

"Wait…" Hakuba said after a few moments. "What plan are you two girls talking about? And what do you mean Kuroba-kun hasn't acted like this since I first got here?" The two squealing girls looked at Hakuba, wide smiles on their lips. Hakuba instantly regretted asking.

"Why we're setting them up, of course!" Ran answered. Hakuba's eyes widened as he simply stared at the two girls, his mind trying to wrap around what he had just been told.

"…Set… up?" He asked, and Aoko nodded. "As in… dating?" another nod. Hakuba barked out a laugh, throwing his head back as his laugh escalated. "You're both insane! You're way off! Kudo-kun has never shown interest in anybody, except for possibly you, Mouri-kun, and Kuroba-kun's as straight as an arrow!" after a few moments of staring at Hakuba, both girls burst out laughing.

"You've _got_ to be kidding, Hakuba-kun!" Ran said, holding her sides as she bent over slightly, still laughing uncontrollably.

"Kaito? Straight? Pfft! Hahaha!" Aoko said, her laughter only increasing. "He's the gayest person on the planet! He's far from straight!" Hakuba gawked at the laughing girls, taking slight offense to the fact that they were laughing at him.

"But he's always flipping your skirt up, Aoko-kun!" Hakuba challenged, pointing an accusing finger at the girl. Aoko continued to chuckle a few moments, wiping a tear away from her eyes as her laughter died down.

"He just does that teasingly!" She answered. "He means absolutely nothing by it, never has, never will. It's just what Kaito does! He liked you a lot more than he ever liked me!" Hakuba blinked a few times, staring at Aoko before a bright blush appeared on his cheeks.

"…Kuroba-kun… liked me?" He asked, completely dumbfounded. Aoko rolled her eyes, putting her hands on her hips.

"Of course he did! He was afraid that you were going to figure him out!" Aoko said. She sighed and let her shoulders slump, her expression turning slightly crestfallen. "He wasn't going to tell you, not if you didn't show any interest, but I guess his feelings just sort of… died down. He must have given up on you." She shrugged before her sad expression turned to one of excitement. "That's why Ran-chan and I decided to set up Kaito and Shinichi-kun! So that they'll both be happy!" Ran nodded, a large smile on her lips.

"For a while, I thought Shinichi might be in love with me," The karate champion began. "But I soon realized that he only thought of me as a sister figure at most. It was then I got to thinking, he'd only ever really shown romantic interest in Hattori Heiji," Hakuba involuntarily twitched at the name. "And even that was minor. It made me wonder if Shinichi wasn't just not interested in dating, but that he wasn't interested in girls."

"So realizing this," Aoko began. "After talking about the boy's for a bit, we decided that we might as well see if they would take a liking to each other. And clearly they have!" Aoko jumped up a little, no longer able to contain her excitement. "I'm so happy! Kaito looked ecstatic when he saw Shinichi! I have a good feeling about this!" Ran nodded, her smile still on her lips.

"I do too! I think Kaito-kun will be able to make Shinichi happy in all the ways that I couldn't." Ran sounded a little distressed as she said this, but she easily brushed it off. "I think Kaito-kun will be a good influence on Shinichi!"

"So let me get this straight…" Hakuba said, putting a hand to his chin in thought. "This whole hanging out idea today was solely to get those two boys' to meet?" Ran and Aoko nodded. "And once they met, you were planning on attempting to get them to click romantically?" another nod. "So that's why you said you wanted to go shopping! To get them alone! And you took me along to make sure they got that alone time!" Ran and Aoko grinned at each other, smirking before snatching Hakuba's wrists once more.

"We didn't say that! To the mall!" the girls cheered at the same time, beginning to drag the detective off to the mall. The blond let out an aggravated sigh as he allowed himself to be dragged away by the two young women.

He could only hope that Kaito would have a better afternoon than he was going to.

* * *

**A/N:** Whelp! There's the first part of my two-shot! :D Hope you all enjoyed it so far! Leave a review if you liked it! Please? D:

See you in a few days or so! ;D

~Angel~


	2. The Solution

_Anonymous Review Replies: _

_V.S: Aw thanks so much! ^.^ Here's an update for you!_

_Mushroom-chan: Aw! ^-^ Thanks so much for all the love! Here's the chapter you were waiting for! :D You get to find out what's going on with Shin-chan and Kai-chan~ :3_

**A/N: **Woo! 8D Back again~ yup yup~ A little later than I expected, but Dai-chan has been a little busy, and I have been too (busy sleeping that is ^^; ) so I hadn't been able to get it edited as fast as I had hoped :P But here it is! :D It's definitely longer than the first one… -sweatdrop- so I hope that makes up for it being a little later than I had hoped! Anyways! :D I hope you enjoy the final part of this Christmas fic!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own this D: But Kai-chan owns Shin-chan ;D Yup yup~

**Chapter 2: The Solution

* * *

**

Shinichi and Kaito blinked as Ran, Aoko and Hakuba were suddenly no longer with them. The two identical boys blinked a few more times before turning their heads towards each other.

"What the hell just happened?" Shinichi asked, having forgotten that he had been planning on smacking Kaito's hands away from his waist. For some reason, Shinichi couldn't bring himself to make Kaito let go of him after what Aoko had said…

"I think we just got ditched for shopping." Kaito said, shrugging his shoulders as he brought Shinichi closer, causing the other boy to blush again. Kaito would really have to thank Aoko for this later. It was obvious that the two girls had dragged Hakuba off to leave the two almost twins alone. "Oh well! Shall we get to know each other with this alone time, Shin-chan?" Kaito asked, smiling sweetly as he tilted his head to the side. Shinichi's blush turned brighter as he looked away, ignoring the voice inside his head that commented on how Kaito looked cute all of a sudden.

"I-I guess we might as well… Ran did say she would hurt me if I left…" Shinichi mumbled. Kaito beamed and jumped into the air, letting go of Shinichi as he did so.

"Great! Let's go then!" Gently taking Shinichi's hand into his, Kaito made his way out of the café, grinning like the mad man he knew he was. The thief made his way towards a nearby park, still holding Shinichi's hand in his. The detective let himself be dragged, trying his best to ignore the feeling of the other's hand in his own. After a few moments of walking, Shinichi finally decided to ask the question that was currently on his mind.

"So…" he began awkwardly, causing Kaito to look over his shoulder at Shinichi. "Where are you taking me, Kuroba-kun?" Kaito smiled as he looked forward again, his grip on Shinichi's hand tightening slightly.

"To a park that's near here." Kaito answered. "It'll probably be empty right about now with just about everyone out shopping for Christmas gifts. So it'll be a nice place to just sit down and talk, don't you think, Shin-chan?"

"Yeah…" Shinichi said, in slight awe. Kaito was taking him to a secluded place, away from people and the murders that came with them. For once, Shinichi didn't have to worry about the possibility of having to work on a case, instead of having a nice day out with a friend. The brunette couldn't help but smile at this. Kaito had given him the one thing the detective wanted and they had only just met.

After a little more walking, the two eventually reached a small clearing near the middle of the park. Kaito dragged Shinichi to the center of the clearing and finally released the other's hand, flopping down onto the cold hard ground, looking up at the sky. Shinichi smiled slightly at the other's actions, before taking a seat right next to the lounging magician.

"So…" Shinichi began awkwardly, coughing into a fist. Kaito blinked and glanced over at Shinichi, waiting for the other boy to continue. "…I hear that you decorated your classroom for the Christmas season." At those words, Kaito beamed and sat up, excitement radiating off of him.

"Indeed I did!" Kaito said proudly. "I love all things Christmas! So why wouldn't I decorate the classroom and put my classmates in festive costumes?" the Santa clad thief asked, his smile only widening. "This time of year can make just about anyone feel excited and energetic!"

"But not everyone." Shinichi said in a grumpy tone. "I'm not a big fan of the Christmas season. In fact, you could almost say that I hate this time of year." Shinichi shrugged his shoulders, as if saying he hated Christmas was normal. "So naturally, I don't feel even the slightest bit excited. If anything, I feel dreadful of that day." Kaito gawked at the other, completely horrified.

"How can you hate Christmas?" Kaito cried out, throwing his hands up into the air. "It's a joyous time! A time for giving and receiving! A time to spend with loved ones-"

"That's just it." Shinichi said, cutting the other off mid rant. "For a while now, my parents have been away for every Christmas, leaving me all by myself in the Kudo mansion. I would spend Christmas with Ran, but I don't want to impose on her and her father during this time. And I would go to the professor, but every year he tries to make some real live Santa's sleigh, and insists I test run it for him." The detective rolled his eyes at this, before letting his shoulders slump. "So I'm usually alone this time of year, and can't enjoy the wonderful feelings that come with Christmas without anyone else."

Kaito frowned at the other, feeling sorry for his Shin-chan. No one should be alone on Christmas! It was like some sort of crime! Kaito could only imagine what Christmas would be like without his Kaa-chan and Jii-chan. Every year, the three of them would sit around a nice warm fire, just enjoying each other's company, or watching Kaito perform a new trick. If his Christmas' lacked his family, Kaito wasn't sure he would be able to enjoy the season as much as he did.

"I see what you mean…" The thief said after a moment. "But I don't think Mouri-chan would mind of you asked to spend one Christmas with her! It would be much better than being alone, if you ask me." Shinichi shook his head, a sad smile on his lips.

"She asks me every year, but I give her the same answer each time. Christmas is about spending time with the ones you love. And I may love her like a sister, but I wouldn't want to take her attention off of her father and her mother. This is the one holiday that the three of them actually spend together. I couldn't bear it if Ran spent time with me instead of her mother who she rarely sees." Kaito's frown only deepened at the explanation. He hated to admit it, but Shinichi did have a point.

"Anyways," Shinichi said, breaking Kaito out of his inner musings. "How did you manage to get everyone into costumes without them noticing?" Kaito grinned at the change of subject.

"Why Shin-chan! You of all people should know that a magician never reveals his secrets!" Kaito said, throwing a small amount of confetti into the air in front of Shinichi. The detective blinked and tilted his head to the side.

"You're a magician?" Shinichi asked. Kaito nodded eagerly, a wide grin on his face. "Then… You must be a Kaitou Kid fan?" again, Kaito nodded. Shinichi sighed, physically deflating at the nod. "I don't see why. Who could love someone that steals other people's property?" Shinichi exclaimed. An odd feeling bubbled up in Kaito's stomach at those words. Is that how Shinichi saw him? Just as a petty thief that stole?

"But Kid is amazing!" Kaito said, playing the roll of the obsessed fan boy he played whenever someone brought up Kid. "He uses magic to steal, never let's anyone get hurt, and always, _always_ returns what he steals! He's not that bad, for a thief, if you ask me." The other couldn't help but chuckle at the other's outburst, once again catching himself thinking Kaito was cute.

"True… But still, a crime is a crime. Granted he isn't the worst criminal out there. For the most part Kid is…harmless." Kaito couldn't help but grin at that. If you asked Nakamori-keibu or the Task Force if Kaitou Kid was harmless, the reaction you would get would be hilarious. "And I do rather enjoy chasing after Kid, stopping his tricks, figuring out his riddles…" as Shinichi said the last part, his voice slowly trailed off, his hand going to his chin in thought. Kaito blinked as the other lost himself to his own train of thought, waiting for the other to continue speaking. "…Ne Kuroba-kun?" Shinichi said after a few moments of thinking. "Have you seen Kid's new heist note?"

"Indeed I have." Kaito said proudly. But he soon tilted his head to the side. "Why do you ask?"

"Do you have any idea what it means?"

Kaito blinked and stared at Shinichi. The detective was asking him, a total stranger, if he could figure out Kid's heist note. This was… unexpected.

"Can you not figure it out, Shin-chan?" Kaito asked, honestly curious. Shinichi blushed slightly in embarrassment before nodding, not looking at Kaito. The thief couldn't help but grin as he let the new information wash over him. Shinichi truly had no idea what Kaito had planned. This could only make things all the more fun for the thief when the time came. "In all honesty, I could only figure out the time of the heist myself…" Kaito said as Shinichi finally decided to look back up at Kaito.

"Oh well. I don't know why I can't figure out his notice this time. I've looked at all the jewels in this area, already here or coming to Tokyo soon, but I cannot figure out what he is after, or where it will take place." A sigh escaped the detective. "I guess if I can't figure it out in time, Kid's going to be disappointed that his favorite 'critic' won't be there."

_That's what you think, Tantei-kun._ Kaito thought, his smirk quickly turning into a thoughtful smile.

"I'm sure a great detective like yourself will be able to figure it out, Shin-chan!" Kaito said, wrapping his arms around Shinichi's shoulders once again. Shinichi's eyes widened as his face burned brightly at the other's actions. The detective whacked Kaito in the chest, but otherwise made no attempt at trying to get the other off of him.

"Baro!" Shinichi scolded. "Of course I'll be able to figure it out! There's no riddle or puzzle that I can't solve!" he boasted. Kaito smiled as he nuzzled Shinichi's neck slightly.

"I know you will, Shin-chan!" After those words, the boys sat in a comfortable silence for a little while, Kaito still hanging off of Shinichi. Soon, the silence grew to be too much for Shinichi, and he found himself stumbling over the words he was trying to get out.

"B-by the way…" Shinichi said, quickly gaining Kaito's attention. "S-should you be doing such things…?" he asked timidly. Kaito blinked up at the blushing Shinichi, his hold on the other tightening as he brought the other closer.

"Should I be doing what, Shin-chan?" Kaito asked, which only caused Shinichi to blush more.

"You know… Be all over me and stuff…" the detective mumbled. In all honesty, he didn't mind the other being all over him and clinging to him like this. It felt sort of… comforting. Like he belonged in the other's arms. "I-I mean! Aren't you and Aoko-kun… You know…" Kaito blinked before letting out a warm chuckle. Shinichi's embarrassment turned to slight anger as he glared at the other. "What's so funny?" he accused.

"N-nothing..." Kaito said, his laughter slowly dying down. "It's j-just… the thought of me and Aoko like that…" Kaito had to let go of Shinichi, his laughter increasing again, causing Kaito to fall to the ground. Shinichi's glare intensified, his cheeks burning from both embarrassment and anger.

"What do you mean? You both act like you're dating!" Kaito sat up, his laughter reduced to a fit of chuckling.

"I could say the same as you and Mouri-chan, Shin-chan." Shinichi's eyes widened at the comparison. The magician did have a point… "And besides. It would never work out between us for a pretty big reason." Kaito pulled out his card gun, and fired it just to the left of himself. Instead of a card flying out, a pole with a piece of paper flew out of the hole. There was an arrow pointing to Kaito with the words "Completely and utterly gay." written under it. Shinichi simply gawked at the sign, his brain having shut down for the moment.

"…Have you no shame?" Shinichi asked after a few moments, still staring at the sign. Kaito grinned a toothy grin at the question.

"Nope~!" The sign poofed away in a puff of pink smoke, and Kaito pocketed the card gun once more. Shinichi sighed and shook his head form side to side, butterflies beginning to flutter in his stomach once more. A thought occurred to Shinichi and he blinked and looked up at Kaito, who tilted his head innocently.

"So if you're gay, does that mean you and Hakuba have…?" Shinichi trailed off, not wanting to finish his sentence. Kaito chuckled slightly, a very faint blush appearing on his cheeks.

"No. In fact, I don't even think Hakuba knows I swing that way." Kaito answered. "I will admit, though, I did like Hakuba for a while." At the confession, Shinichi felt something rise up in his chest, something he hadn't felt since some boys from school had hit on Ran. "But…" Kaito said after a moment, pulling Shinichi away from his confusing feelings. "I gave up on Hakuba after a while. He never showed interest in anyone but Aoko. So I figured I'd just stop hoping for something that was never going to happen." An odd smile appeared on Kaito's lips as he said this, one that Shinichi didn't like one bit.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Kuroba-kun." Shinichi said, truly meaning his words. Kaito just shook his head, his odd smile turning into a genuine one.

"It's alright, Shin-chan. I'm over it now. Though, that crush did help me realize something…" Shinichi blinked and tilted his head ever so slightly.

"And what's that, Kuroba-kun?" he asked.

"That I have a thing for detectives~" Kaito explained, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Shinichi's face flushed as he looked away from Kaito, those goddamn butterflies making themselves known once again. Really now, Kaito had absolutely no shame. Well, that would explain why Kaito had been all over Shinichi earlier. But really! They had only just met! Shinichi blinked, that one thought causing his mind to go into overdrive.

Had they only just met today? Kaito felt rather… familiar to the detective. Like Shinichi had met him many times before. Maybe he had. Kaito did say he was a Kid fan, so maybe Shinichi met Kaito at one of the heists? Or was it something else that Shinichi just couldn't place his finger on…

"Woohoo~ Earth to Shin-chan~" Shinichi blinked, just now noticing the hand waving in front of his face. Shinichi shook his head, putting those thoughts aside for a later date.

"Gomen Kuroba-kun. Did you say something?" Shinichi asked. Kaito pouted, his shoulders slumping as the other boy stared at Shinichi with indigo eyes.

"You don't have to be so polite, Shin-chan." Kaito all but whined. Shinichi raised an eyebrow, curious as to what Kaito meant. "Hakuba calls me 'Kuroba-kun' and the only reason I let him get away with it is because he's got a stick so far up his ass that his back is permanently straight." Shinichi couldn't help but let out a chuckle at the metaphor. "So call me Kaito! You're not nearly as stuck up as him." Shinichi's chuckling slowed, a smile gracing his lips.

"Fine then, Kaito-kun it is." Kaito pouted still, not liking that a suffix was added at the end of his name. But the magician didn't comment, knowing that Kaito-kun was as good as he was going to get. "Then again…" Shinichi said, shaking Kaito out of his thoughts. Kaito blinked, not liking the tone of voice Shinichi was using or that glint in his eyes. "I could just call you Kai-chan, seeing as how you insist on calling me Shin-chan…" Kaito's eyes widened.

"Iie! Iie! Kaito-kun's good!" Kaito said, waving his arms in front of him, fear growing inside his stomach as the smirk on Shinichi's face continued to grow. "Do you realize what Hakuba will do if he hears you calling me that?" Kaito said, his voice picking up in pitch slightly. "The mocking! It'll never end! Then that means I'll have more excuses to prank him…" Kaito trailed off, putting a hand to his chin as he looked off to the side thoughtfully. Shinichi couldn't help but chuckle at Kaito's antics.

"Must you be so cruel to Hakuba-kun, Kaito-kun?" Shinichi asked, amusement in his voice. "I mean, you did make him walk into that café in a Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer outfit." Kaito chuckled at that, his thoughtful expression turning to one of mirth.

"Of course I do! I'm trying to get him to loosen up! And I've been making progress!" Kaito all but cheered, the pride clear in his voice. "You should have seen how uptight he was when we met! The only fun he ever had was doing some kind of work." The thief rolled his eyes, causing Shinichi to chuckle lightly.

"Sou ka…" He said, smiling at the thief. Shinichi didn't know why, but he felt extremely comfortable around Kaito. It was like he could truly be himself around the young magician, like he didn't have to pretend to be something he wasn't. It was a… nice, calming feeling. It was sort of like hanging out with Hattori, but without all the headaches the Osakan brought with him. Shinichi opened his mouth to say something, but was stopped when he heard his phone going off. Scowling at being interrupted, Shinichi reached into his pocket and pulled out the device. "Moshi moshi?" Shinichi said. After a few moments of listening to the other voice, Shinichi's shoulders slumped, a sigh escaping his lips. "Right now, Megure-keibu?" a few more moments of listening caused Shinichi's scowl to increase. "Hai hai… I'll be right there." He said in an annoyed tone and hung up his phone before the inspector could say anymore.

"Everything okay, Shin-chan?" Kaito asked, worry etched onto his face. Shinichi sighed once more as he nodded solemnly.

"That was just Megure-keibu. He says there's been a murder and they need my help on the case. Gomen but I must go." Kaito's eyebrows furrowed as he stared thoughtfully at Shinichi before leaning over and snatching the detectives phone right from his hands. "O-oi! What are you doing?" Shinichi said, glaring lightly at Kaito.

"Putting my number into your phone." Kaito explained, grinning as he fiddled with the device. "You're going to make it up to me for leaving our little date. This way, you'll know how to contact me without having to go through Mouri-chan, Hakuba or Aoko." Kaito said, holding Shinichi's phone out for the detective to take back. Shinichi yanked it out of Kaito's hands, his own face bright red at the word 'date'.

"B-baro!" Shinichi said, completely flustered. "T-this isn't—I mean we weren't… aren't…" While Shinichi was trying to find the right words to explain exactly what this thing they were doing was, he refused to admit it was a date, Kaito stood up and patted Shinichi on the shoulder.

"Ja ne, Shin-chan!" Kaito said quickly before hugging Shinichi once more. "Call me later!" he said, letting go of Shinichi after a few moments more of hugging. The thief ran off, running backwards as he waved goodbye at Shinichi. Shinichi could only blink and wave after the fleeing magician, a blush still lingering on his cheeks. Shaking his head, Shinichi looked at his phone once more before pocketing it and making his own way out of the clearing, an amused grin on his lips.

"Kuroba Kaito…huh?"

* * *

Shinichi had kept his promise, and had called Kaito that night shortly after finishing the murder case. The thief had been confused momentarily when Shinichi called, not realizing whose number showed up on his caller ID. After Shinichi quickly reminded Kaito that the thief had given the detective his number earlier that day, the young magician let out a cry of joy that his "Shin-chan" had indeed called him to make plans for the future.

And so the two boys made plans to hang out once again the following day, and everyday that followed for a week. Shinichi was surprised with himself. Not only had he called Kaito back the first time, but he had also begun to text the slightly older boy during the day as well. He hadn't meant for that to happen, but Kaito had sent him a good morning text, one that Shinichi found quite annoying, having read it before his morning coffee, and thus a conversation had been started.

The detective now looked forward to school, instead of dreading all the boredom that came with each lesson. Every class, Shinichi would text with Kaito about the most absurd things. But what came as a shock to him was that he was actually texting Kaito during the lesson, and not just during breaks. Shinichi usually at least tried to pay attention to what the teacher was saying, but he found he just couldn't when Kaito was involved. Before, Shinichi would only pull out his phone if the Inspector called or texted him, or Hattori did, asking questions about a case he was on or something like that.

Kaito on the other hand, didn't find the texting odd at all. He rather enjoyed talking to his Shin-chan during class, reveling in the time he was able to converse with Shinichi. His classmates were curious, however. All week Kaito had barely pulled any pranks, opting for sitting in the back of class, the only noise coming out of his mouth being the occasional chuckle. Naturally, with Christmas later in the week, this made everyone on edge in the class.

Everyone but Hakuba and Aoko, that is.

Aoko was fully aware of what was going on with Kaito, having heard from Ran that Shinichi and Kaito had exchanged numbers that day, and had easily clicked after they had left with Hakuba to go shopping. Being as excited as she had been about the situation, Aoko had told Hakuba about what Kaito was doing, and convinced (threatened) him not to interfere with Kaito's texting. Despite Kaito breaking the school rules about no cell phones, Hakuba never informed the teacher of Kaito's texting, and let the thief did as he pleased.

Though Hakuba was rather content with the thief being distracted by his conversations with Shinichi. It meant that the thief's mind was off of his pranks, and thus was out of Hakuba's hair for a little while. If this was what happened when Kaito was into someone, Hakuba would have come up with this plan long ago.

Soon, however, it was December 23 and Shinichi's mood, despite Kaito's best efforts, had plummeted. Christmas was two days away, and Shinichi was in full Scrooge mode. Kaito tried to coax Shinichi to "come out and play", but Shinichi had declined, using some lame excuse that involved wrapping gifts for people. Realizing the boy just wanted to be alone, Kaito reluctantly gave in to the boy's request and left him alone to do as he pleased.

Shinichi sighed as he closed his phone, having just convinced Kaito that he wasn't sick or something like that, but just really wanted a day to himself. He felt bad about blowing Kaito off, but the detective just wasn't in the mood to do anything. He was going to be alone the next two days anyways, why not get started early?

Making his way up to his giant library, Shinichi's mind turned to a different matter entirely. Kaitou Kid had not made an appearance as of yet, and the Task Force was still at a loss as to what his note could mean, besides the time and date that is. Shinichi himself had been unable to figure out the riddle, much to his chagrin. He knew that the heist would occur tomorrow night at six, but as to where it would be and what the thief would be taking was a complete mystery.

Sighing once more, Shinichi picked up a Sherlock Holmes book and flopped down onto the couch, relaxing against the cushions. He got comfortable and began to read the book for probably the hundredth time.

It wasn't long, however, before Shinichi grew slightly bored of reading and put the book in his lap, looking up at the ceiling.

Previously, Shinichi liked the silence that the quiet of the mansion brought. But today, his house seemed way too big, and way too quiet for his tastes. Something was missing, something just wasn't right at the moment…

At that moment, Shinichi's phone went off, causing the detective to jump from the sudden noise. Taking out the red phone, Shinichi blinked as he looked at the screen. It was a text message. Shinichi sighed and hoped that it wasn't from Megure-keibu. He just didn't want to deal with dead things right now. Was that so much to ask?

But as luck would have it, it was from the magician, causing Shinichi's heart to begin to beat a little faster, and his stomach to flutter. Ah, Kaito always knew just when Shinichi needed him the most. It was something that Shinichi loved about Kaito. His timing couldn't be more perfect. Shinichi opened the phone and looked at the message, curious as to what it said.

_It's officially Christmas Eve! Are you sure you don't want to join us for dinner tonight, Shin-chan?_

Shinichi blinked. Christmas Eve? Shinichi looked around the room and his eyes quickly landed on the clock. Indeed, the clock did inform the detective that it was quarter past midnight. He'd been reading longer than he had thought. Shaking his head, Shinichi replied to the older teen, a fond smile making its way onto his lips.

_I guess it is Christmas Eve. And you know I don't want to impose on you and your family, Kaito-kun. _

He shut the phone and shifted on the couch, getting a little comfier as he sat up. Kaito had been insistent for most of the week that Shinichi should join him on Christmas Eve for dinner at the very least. And every time Shinichi would insist that he would love to, but Christmas was for spending time with loved ones, and that he didn't want to interrupt that.

Shinichi's phone rung once more and he flipped the device open and read over the message.

_You lost track of time reading again, didn't you, Shin-chan? :P And you wouldn't be imposing at all! Kaa-san would really love to meet you! I've been telling her all about you and she's excited to see you in person!_

Shinichi blushed at the message as a whole. After only a week, Kaito seemed to know him almost as much as Ran herself did, if not more so. And had Kaito really been talking to his mother about Shinichi all week?

_That doesn't matter. I shall meet your mother some other time. Have fun with your family._

Shinichi sighed as he stared at his phone. Kaito was so persistent! Maybe he should just give in and at least stop by during the day or something like that… Before the thought could continue, Shinichi's phone went off.

_But Shiiiiin-chaaaaan~! No one should be alone at Christmas~!_

Shinichi twitched at this reply. He could almost _hear_ the whine in Kaito's voice. Scratch that thought. Kaito was spending his Christmas with his family.

_For the last time no, Kaito-kun. I'll talk to you a bit tomorrow. Goodnight._

And with that, Shinichi stood up, closing his book and setting it down to be finished later. Shinichi raised his hands above his head and stretched his back, satisfied by hearing a faint popping sound.

Pocketing his phone, Shinichi made his way out of the library and headed for his room. Putting his phone on the nightstand, he quickly put on his pajamas and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Upon returning to his room, Shinichi checked his phone and saw that he had one last message from Kaito. Flipping open his phone, Shinichi smiled at the message.

_Oh fine! Be a baby and go to bed! I better hear from you later, Shin-chan! Or your hair will be pink for a month! Night! ;D _

When Shinichi got the end, a blush spread across his cheeks. Of course Kaito would put a heart at the end of the text. Of freaking course.

Sighing, the smile and blush still on his face, Shinichi put the phone back onto his nightstand and lied down on his bed, flicking the light off as he pulled the covers up to his chin.

Even if he would be alone once again, Shinichi couldn't help but smile as he fell into a deep sleep. Just thinking about the indigo-eyed magician caused Shinichi to smile.

* * *

Shinichi sighed as he sat down at his kitchen table, a cup of steaming hot coffee in front of him. It was Christmas Eve, and naturally Shinichi had received some gifts.

Ran, Aoko, Hakuba, Hattori, Kazuha, Sonoko and even Megure-keibu and the Professor had stopped by to deliver something, with the exception of Hattori and Kazuha, who sent theirs by mail. And they had all asked Shinichi to join them for the evening, and Shinichi denied each request, repeating the same thing every time.

The detective took a sip of his coffee and looked around at all the colorfully wrapped gifts, none having been opened since Shinichi wanted to wait and do it tomorrow. All of the gifts were tucked neatly under his decorated tree. Shinichi couldn't help but chuckle. Once Kaito had found out that Shinichi didn't have a tree, or any other decorations, for that matter, Kaito took it upon himself to decorate Shinichi's home.

Naturally, the brunette had protested at first, but eventually let the thief do as he wished. Though, Shinichi had to admit, the house did look amazing lit up as it did.

His thoughts quickly turning back to the magician, Shinichi pulled out his phone again and flipped it open. No new messages. This caused a frown to tug at the detective's lips. He hadn't heard from Kaito all day, and this worried him a bit. He had asked Aoko where the thief was, but she didn't know either. She had gone to visit him earlier that morning, but only for his mother to say that he had gone out early, and had not yet returned.

The young detective sighed as he glanced at the clock on his phone. It was only five thirty. There was only a half hour until Kid's supposed heist, and Shinichi still had no idea what the thief had planned. Oh well. This only meant that the game went on a little longer.

Sipping the last of his coffee, Shinichi stood up and put the cup in the sink to be cleaned later. Turning out of the kitchen, he made his way up towards the library, planning on reading to keep himself busy for the night. Kaito would probably show up later anyways, so there was no reason to do anything in particular right now.

Letting out a sigh as he looked around on the bookshelves, Shinichi quickly began to look for a book to read while he waited for Kaito's inevitable visit. Subconsciously going to the Holmes section, Shinichi's hands grazed over the hard cover books, trying to figure out what he was in the mood to read. Oddly enough, Shinichi's hand passed over all of his Holmes books and eventually found itself over some Arsène Lupin books. Shinichi blinked, never realizing that these books were in his library. Shrugging his shoulders, Shinichi pulled one off the shelf and made his way over to the couch, quickly getting comfortable.

Soon enough, the grand clock in the library chimed six times, signaling the time to the reading detective. As soon as the chimes finished, there was a loud knocking on glass. Shinichi jumped and his eyes darted over to the balcony, only to see his doppelganger in a white over coat, grinning like the mad man he was at Shinichi. Sighing, Shinichi smiled fondly and stood up, making his way over to the double doors to let his friend in.

"Shin-chan!" Kaito cried as he wrapped his arms around Shinichi, almost causing the detective to loose his balance and knock both of them to the floor. "I knew that you would be in here~! You're always reading or in here when you're bored or alone!" Kaito said, nuzzling Shinichi's neck affectionately.

"Yeah yeah…" Shinichi said through a sigh. "Now… Get off me so I can close the door before we freeze to death." Kaito pouted before letting go of Shinichi and making his way into the library, taking off his coat and throwing it in some random direction as he jumped onto the couch.

"So what have you been up to all day, Shin-chan?" Kaito asked, looking over the couch and at Shinichi. Shinichi rolled his eyes as he closed the glass doors, locking them before making his way over to Kaito.

"Mostly nothing, for once." Shinichi said as he sat down next to Kaito. "A lot of people stopped by to drop off gifts, so I talked with them for a while when they showed up." Shinichi said, his voice taking a slightly annoyed edge to it. Kaito chuckled, his eyes lighting up as he looked at Shinichi.

"Sounds like you didn't like that very much, Shin-chan." He said, scootching closer to his other half. "You say you're all alone on Christmas, but here are a ton of people who stopped by to see you!" Shinichi sighed as he leaned against the back of the couch, looking up at the ceiling.

"But they were all trying to get me to spend Christmas with them!" the detective said in exasperation. "And you know I don't want to do that to anyone. Hell, you should feel lucky I even let you inside of my house today!" those words caused Kaito to chuckle as he rested his head on Shinichi's shoulder.

"You would have let me in no matter what, Shin-chan~ And if you hadn't I would have gotten in somehow anyways." Kaito chuckled as he nuzzled Shinichi's neck, who only sighed, trying to fight off the blush that was trying to make its way onto his lips. "So I'm not going anywhere anytime soon~ So what shall we do, Shin-chan?" Kaito asked. Shinichi raised an eyebrow at the other.

"You should be heading back home to be with your family, baro." Shinichi said in a scolding tone. "We've been over this." Kaito rolled his eyes as he snuggled closer to Shinichi.

"I know I know." Kaito said before a toothy grin made its way onto his lips. "But you also said you didn't want to spend Christmas at other people's houses. You never said anything about them coming here~" Shinichi blinked, never having thought of it that way.

"But what about spending time with your family?" Shinichi asked, continuing to protest what the other was saying. Kaito chuckled and beamed up at Shinichi.

"Already had a late lunch with them. Spent the entire day with them, after doing some last minute things for Christmas." Kaito grinned as Shinichi blinked. "So I can spend a few hours with you and not have to worry about neglecting my family!" the younger boy stared at Kaito for a few moments, before sighing and letting his shoulders slump.

"…Fine." He reluctantly said causing Kaito to cheer slightly. "But only for a little while." Kaito wrapped his arms around Shinichi, bringing the other as close as possible.

"Arigato, Shin-chan!" Kaito said. The thief suddenly blinked as a book caught his eye. Leaning over Shinichi, Kaito picked up the book and read the title, a grin plastering itself on his lips. "You read Lupin books? I thought you hated thieves." Shinichi blushed lightly at being caught in the act.

"I was slightly interested in how Lupin did things. And besides, a character much like Holmes appears in some Lupin books." Kaito nodded and chuckled, putting the book down and making sure Shinichi didn't loose his place.

"Anyways, what do you think of Lupin?" Kaito asked, making himself comfortable against Shinichi and the couch.

From that question on, Kaito and Shinichi had a mini debate about Lupin and Holmes, which resulted in a debate about detectives and thieves in general. Soon enough, the chimes in the library went off once again, signaling that it was seven o'clock in the evening. Shinichi blinked, cutting himself off from saying something about thieves and what not, finally noticing the time.

"Speaking of thieves…" Shinichi said, his eyes turning from the clock back to Kaito's quizzical gaze. "Wasn't Kaitou Kid supposed to make an appearance an hour ago somewhere? Or was I mistaken?" Kaito blinked, as if he had completely forgotten about the Moonlit thief. Realization flashed across his features as he pulled a neatly pink and purple wrapped box out of nowhere and held it out to Shinichi.

"That reminds me! I haven't given you your gift yet, Shin-chan! Go on! Open it now!" Kaito said, his lips going from a toothy grin to a nervous smile. Shinichi raised an eyebrow at the change in demeanor, but took the gift nonetheless.

"Arigato, Kaito-kun." Shinichi said, tugging at the bright pink bow. The ribbon soon fell to the floor and he began to tug at the purple wrapping. Shinichi blinked as he tossed the wrapping to the floor and held a white box in his hands. Opening the box, Shinichi peered inside and turned bright red. Kaito wiggled his eyebrows as Shinichi looked up at him, horror all over his face. "Hentai!" he shouted, reaching into the box and tossing a pair of pink fuzzy handcuffs at Kaito. The cuffs hit Kaito in the head, causing the boy to fall back and laugh hysterically. "I-You- There aren't even- Gah!" Kaito slowly pulled himself up onto the couch once more, clutching the cuffs in his hands as his laughter died out.

"T-there's more in the box, Shin-chan!" Kaito said, his laughter quickly dying down as he tried to somber up. Shinichi huffed before reaching into the box once more. His anger quickly turned to confusion as he pulled out a card. Kaito shifted nervously as Shinichi opened the card, and read it out loud.

"'Find out what I was after yet, Tantei-kun?'" Shinichi read, blinking once more. Looking back into the box, Shinichi's eyes widened as he saw a monocle at the bottom of the box. And not just any monocle.

Kid's monocle.

"Nani?" Shinichi's head shot up as he stared at a bright red rose. The detective blinked and looked past the rose at Kaito, who had a very Kid like grin on his lips.

"Well? Have you, Tantei-kun?" Kaito said, sounding too much like Kid for Shinichi's taste. Shinichi blinked and stared at Kaito, his eyes traveling down to the monocle still in the box. Shinichi pulled out the monocle, running his finger lightly over the glass. He looked back up at Kaito, the monocle still in his hand as his mouth opened and closed.

Well, this explained why Kaito had always felt so familiar to Shinichi.

"…Y...You're Kid…?" Shinichi said slowly, still gapping at Kaito. Kaito's grin grew, his Poker Face perfectly in place. He didn't' want Shinichi to know how nervous he was about all of this, of course.

"Indeed I am, Shin-chan~ Or would you rather Tantei-chan?" Kaito asked, tilting his head to the side. Shinichi's mouth opened and closed a few more times, no sound coming out. Kaito's stomach began to twist, his nerves nearing their peak. Why didn't he say something else? _Anything_ else?

"…Why…Why would you tell me of all people?" Shinichi asked, his hand holding the monocle lowering into his lap, knocking the now empty box to the ground. "I could easily use this against you… you know." Shinichi said, his eyes traveling to the monocle in his hands before returning to Kaito's grinning face once more.

"I know." Kaito said, Shinichi noting that there was a very faint quake in his voice. "But I was counting on you not doing that if I told you something else." A strange emotion appeared in Kaito's eyes, and Shinichi had a sinking feeling about what Kaito wanted to tell him.

"And what's that… Kaito…?" Shinichi asked, unsure if he should call the man before him Kid or Kaito-kun. The newly revealed thief smirked as he lowered the rose and leaned in closer to Shinichi. The detective backed up slightly, his eyes widening a bit as the thief got closer and closer. "…Kaito…?" but before he could say anymore, Kaito's lips were on his own.

Shinichi's eyes widened even more so at the kiss, a million things running through his mind. Should he pull away? Return the kiss? Deepen it even? Shinichi's hands twitched, as if they wanted to reach up and touch the boy that was on top of him. But before Shinichi could do any of that, Kaito's lips were off of his, and Shinichi found himself staring into the eyes of a rather nervous Kaitou.

"I… Love you, Shinichi." Kaito said slowly, but never breaking eye contact with the detective. Shinichi's breath hitched in his chest, and his heart picked up its pace. "That's… That's why I let Aoko convince me to go to that café that day a week ago. I… really wanted to meet you. Not as Kaitou Kid, but as Kuroba Kaito instead. Because well…" Kaito quickly broke off eye contact for a moment and bit his lip. "…Because I've loved you for a long time… You make me feel like… Like no one else has before. Not even Hakuba." Kaito looked back at Shinichi, hoping for some form of reaction. Rejection, indifference, acceptance, anything would have been better than that blank look the other was giving him now.

After a few tense moments and still no reply from the other, Kaito let out a sigh, his Poker Face disappearing to reveal a sad, even depressed expression. The thief pulled away from Shinichi and got off the couch. He turned his back towards Shinichi, who still gawked at the other teen.

"…Nevermind. Forget what you just heard. I guess I should go into hiding or something before Nakamori finds out who I really am from you…" Kaito looked down at the ground as he made his way towards the doors he'd come in an hour ago, his hair blocking his eyes from sight.

Finally noticing that the other hand moved, Shinichi tightened his grip on the monocle and stood up, his free hand reaching out and grabbing Kaito's wrist. "Matte!" Shinichi almost cried, causing Kaito to freeze in place. Shinichi held onto the other's wrist tightly, knowing that if he let go at all the other would be gone, probably forever. And that thought caused Shinichi's heart to clench in pain, making it hard for Shinichi to breathe. Taking a deep breath, Shinichi looked off to the side, hiding his eyes under his bangs. "…That's unfair… You can't just say something like that… and then leave before you receive an answer…!" Shinichi's grip on Kaito's wrist tightened as he said those words, causing Kaito to wince.

"Wait… an answer…?" Kaito blinked as he looked over his shoulder at the other boy, his eyes wide with curiosity. "Does that mean…?" he trailed off, afraid to finish his sentence in case he was mistaken.

"Baro!" Shinichi yelled, looking up slightly so that Kaito could see the blush clear on Shinichi's face. "I'm not going to turn you in because you told me who you are! I'm going to catch you and then turn you in! It's not fair if you just hand me the answers!" Kaito blinked, not having expected an outburst such as that one. "And how the hell can I just forget that you said you loved me? That's stupid! You know why?" Shinichi looked at Kaito from the corner of his eye, vaguely seeing Kaito shake his head back and forth. Shinichi scowled and yanked Kaito closer to him, causing the other boy to cry out in surprise. The noise was cut off, however, as Kaito's lips were quickly covered by Shinichi's.

It only took Kaito a few moments to realize what was going on, before he acted. Shinichi was kissing him. Actually kissing him! Kaito quickly tugged his wrist out of Shinichi's grip and wrapped his arms around the other teen's waist, bringing it closer to him. Shinichi gasped into the kiss, granting Kaito the access he needed. The thief stuck his tongue into the other's mouth, letting his eyes flutter as his tongue mapped out Shinichi's mouth. Shinichi let out a faint moan as he wrapped his arms around Kaito's neck, his eyes closing as well as he melted into the other's body.

This was pure bliss. Kaito had always imagined what it would be like to kiss Shinichi like this, but he never thought it would be this good. Granted, the soccer-loving detective tasted a little too much like coffee for the thief's taste, but he still loved it nonetheless.

All too quickly though, the kiss ended and the two had to pull away for air, their chests heaving rhythmically. Kaito leaned forward, resting his forehead against Shinichi's, who looked directly into Kaito's indigo orbs. The two boys stayed just like that, gazing into each other's eyes as they let themselves catch their breath.

"So…" Kaito said after a while, finally catching his breath. "I take it the feeling is mutual?" he asked, a silly grin on his lips. "Or do you kiss all thieves like that?" Shinichi pouted as he lightly kicked Kaito's shin, causing the other to wince in pain.

"Baaaro!" Shinichi said slowly, glaring playfully at the other. "Of course the feelings are mutual. Otherwise I would have kicked you out a window by now." Kaito chuckled at that, kissing Shinichi on the cheek as he nuzzled the others neck.

"Aw Shin-chan! Don't be like that!" Shinichi "hmm"d and just sighed, tightening his hold on Kaito. The thief smiled as he shifted, causing the two of them to fall down onto the couch with a soft "thump". "So… Shin-chan~" Kaito asked after a few moments. "You're not still a Scrooge about Christmas, are you?" Shinichi chuckled lightly as he snuggled closer to Kaito.

"Please. How can anyone hate Christmas with someone like you around?" Kaito only laughed in response, his musical voice filling up the quiet of the house.

* * *

**A/N**: And there you have it~ :3 hope you all enjoyed the fluff! It's so fluffy I'm gonna die! X.x …Kay movie references aside… 8D Loved it? Hated it? Wanna huggle it or something? Tell me in a review? :3 please?

Oh! One more thing! :O I would like to thank my beta's boy friend for coming up with that riddle in the last chapter. I failed at making one Dx I asked Dai-chan for help, who in turned asked her boy friend. Either way I got a riddle 8D And if it's to confusing to figure out directly what it means, it says Kaito's gonna steal Shinichi's heart at 6 o'clock on Christmas Eve ;) Such a romantic, isn't he?

**B/N:** Yo! Merry Belated Christmas! To be honest, I'm part of the reason this is so late, but it's mostly because I was hopped up on painkillers, I swear! Damn toe... anyway (cough) I hope you guys liked this! It took many hours of whining and editing to get it to you today, so don't give my Kai-chan any grief, got it? ^.^ Ja ne!

**A/N**: …My Shin-chan is a little whiney… oh well! ^.^ Review please? :D And to those who read Kyoukatsu I shall see you all in a week! ^^ Ja ne!

~Angel~


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